An advocacy paper to strengthen young people’s cultural participation in Europe
Co-created with the young participants of the BE UNIT project, this advocacy paper is based on several observations:
- A high level of qualification does not necessarily lead to stable employment in the audiovisual sector.
- Cinema and audiovisual culture can play a key role in promoting democratic values, dialogue, and mutual understanding among young Europeans.
- Access to culture remains unequal.
It presents the methodology developed by the BE UNIT project partners to train and support young people in organizing a short-film festival. This support is based on a participatory governance.
This advocacy paper also offers solutions and good practices to:
- Reduce barriers to cultural participation
- Engage new audiences in film culture
- Use cinema as a tool for promoting intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding
- Strengthen young people’s employability in the audiovisual sector
BE UNIT: strengthening young people’s skills through the organization of a short-film festival
This advocacy paper forms part of the “BE UNIT” project, co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme. BE UNIT aims to develop the skills of young adults from Belgium, Italy and Hungary in audiovisual media, event management, and advocacy strategies. The project runs from January 2024 to December 2025.
Forty-five young adults from Belgium, Italy and Hungary benefited from technical and professional training combining in-person sessions and online guidance, allowing them to develop concrete skills in audiovisual production and event organization. Supported by the BE UNIT partners, they took charge of the entire creation of the Moonstep Festival: selecting short films, managing logistics, communication, and facilitating discussions.
In the lead-up to the festival, debates and a pre-selection of videos were organized in each country. Young people who took part in these events were able to discuss their cultural needs. These exchanges helped to better understand their expectations and needs in terms of cultural participation, thereby laying the foundations for the BE UNIT advocacy paper.
